What ‘Thus Saith the Lord’ Means to Me Bro. Lee Vayle July 28, 1977 We have been singing that chorus ‘He’s all I Need’ but I think the majority of people don’t realize that all He is, that’s the 'all we need'. We sell Him short. You know, it seems many people feel they can get by with just so much. But it’s going to take if God pour all of Himself into this Jesus, He’s the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And it stands to reason that if He’s all we need, then all that He is, is what we need. Not one bit less. You can neither take nor add to Him, that’s why the prophet’s Message was so stern, you cannot add or take. How can you take or add to God? See? That’s the trouble. Shall we pray: Heavenly Father, again we look to You for help at this time, the study of Thy Word. We pray, Lord, that it shall be admonition to us, identification , O God, exhortation, building us up in the holy Faith. Keep Your hand upon us, Lord, then we pray as Your hand is upon us, then Lord, we believe that what we need amongst ourselves tonight, can be forth coming, in that very area. So, we best know that You’ve done this in times past. And there is no diminishing of You Lord, in any way. Your Scripture tells that, there is no diminishing, for which we thank You. And there is nothing too great, that we might need, or have need of, but what You can supply, what we need most, Lord, now as a stabilizing influence, of Your Spirit in our lives, to bring forth the word of God, in our very lives here. So, we just commend ourselves into You, the Word of Your grace, just pray now that You heard us, the answer will be forthcoming in Jesus’ Name. Amen. You may be seated. 1. Now tonight, last service at least for a while. How long a while, I don’t know. Just one never knows. Especially, one like me. You know, I often say that you can cure blindness in a hurry, by cleaning your glasses, …I don’t seem to have that trouble, when I clean them a bit, I find my eyesight is not half as bad as I thought. Might not be 20/20, where it is, it might be 25 and a half or something. It’s a lot better now. The shadows have been rolled away. [Bro. Vayle chuckles] No, the mists has been rolled away, that’s what it is. I guess I put my fingers on them. Now, there’s a lot of subject matter I believe we could cover, but tonight I want to bring a message really quite simple. And I suppose it's a message, based upon what I’ve seen, and what I’ve run into. And many times the messages are. I run across various literal things that are around the country, and so I just bring a message on, hopefully to help the people. Not to be a hyper, or super critical, although that goes without saying. There’s a certain amount of the critical in it. But just to be beneficial, hopefully, the message is ‘The meaning of Thus Saith the Lord.’ And that's to me. It might not be to you, might not be somebody else, but the meaning to me as I see it, this is what the message is all about. And we’re going to read in Deuteronomy 18:20-22 and It says, (20) But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. (21) And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? (22) When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. 2. Now of course, this Book of Deuteronomy is the last of the five Books of Moses. And many times, you’ll find that Deuteronomy explains what is contained in the other Books. And so, what we’re going to do is, look back in the other Books, particularly in Exodus, in order to see what this is all about. Which it is, that these verses are about a prophet prophesying in the Name of the Lord. And it has already been manifested to the people through experience. And that’s found in Exodus 4:21-23, and in Exodus 7:17. So reading, Exodus 4:21-23 (21) And the LORD said unto Moses, When thou goest to return into Egypt, see that thou do all those wonders before Pharaoh, which I have put in thine hand: but I will harden his heart, that he shall not let the people go. (22) And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn: (23) And I say unto thee, Let my son go, that he may serve me: and if thou refuse to let him go, behold, I will slay thy son, even thy firstborn. So, here’s Moses saying, “I’m come down here, to cause you to let the first, let Israel go, 'Thus Saith the Lord', if you don’t let them go, then I’ll kill your sons. Well, you’d know if that was of God or not, if it came to pass. If it didn’t come to pass, Moses was not the prophet that God sent. If it did come to pass, Moses was the prophet God sent. [Exodus] 7:17 (17) Thus saith the LORD, In this thou shalt know that I am the LORD: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. 3. And there again, you see the same thing. Now, the people did not understand how this was done…or you might say, why it was done. So, it's explained in Deuteronomy 18: which I just read. And He lets them know, (that is Moses does) that there can and will be prophets, like him. And they’re very special prophets, and they are to be feared. Now, they have a very special ministry…a prophecy, and it’s to give forth God’s revelation of the hour. It's to bring the fear of God into the camp. It’s to make known the mind of God, by bringing in the Word, it’s to know also what God wants from the people, what’s incumbent upon them to be His people. And it’s the test of whether he is of God, and a test of whether this man is of God, or not, is by his vindication. Now, his vindication is his indication that he is that special prophet. Now, if you want to notice that, his vindication is his indication. See? That indicates that he is such a person, if he has such a vindication. Now, his vindication positions him before the people, so that he is recognized and feared. We want to understand that, his vindication positions him, so that he is recognized. And therefore, he will be feared, because he is indeed the prophet of God, who speaks for Almighty God, because it is ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, as though God Himself were there. 4. Now, this prophet that Moses speaks of in Deuteronomy 18: is different from another kind of a prophet over in Deuteronomy 13:1-5. (1) If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, (2) And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, let us serve them; (3) Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. (4) (You) shall walk after the LORD your God, and fear him, and keep his commandments, and obey his voice, and ye shall serve him, and cleave unto him. (5) And that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams, be shall put to death; because he hath spoken to turn you away from the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed you out of the house of bondage, to thrust thee out of the way which the LORD thy God commanded thee to walk in. So shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee. Now, here you’ll find a person who has a sign or a wonder. He does not have ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, but he has a sign and a wonder. He may even claim to have 'Thus Saith the Lord', but he doesn't have it. He has a sign or a wonder. And the people admit this is supernatural and then he begins speaking to them in such a way as to take them away from God, or to do things that aren’t right, and if that person should die. 5. Now, we’re going to go to Jeremiah 27:12 and read right through to Jeremiah 28: 1-17, we’re going to see here a picture of the true prophets who claimed to have ‘Thus Saith the Lord’. Jeremiah 27: (12) I spake also to Zedekiah king of Judah according to all these words, saying, Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people, and live. (13) Why will ye die, thou and thy people, by the sword, by the famine, and by pestilence, as the LORD hath spoken against the nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? (14) Therefore hearken not unto the words of the prophets that speak unto you, saying, (you) shall not serve the king of Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you. (15) For I have not sent them, saith the LORD, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, that (you) might perish, (yea), and the prophets that prophesy unto you. (16) Also I spake to the priests and to all this people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Hearken not to the words of your prophets that prophesy unto you, saying, Behold, the vessels of the LORD's house shall now shortly be brought again...Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you. (17) Hearken not unto them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: wherefore should this city be laid waste? 6. Now, this prophecy from God, was something they didn’t want to hear. They preferred something else. (18) But if they be prophets, and if the word of the LORD be with them, let them now make intercession to the LORD of hosts, that the vessels which are left in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah, and at Jerusalem, go not to Babylon. (19) For thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the pillars, concerning the sea, concerning the bases, concerning the residue of the vessels that remain in this city. (20) Which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took not, when he carried away captive Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah from Jerusalem to Babylon, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem; (21) Yea, thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that remain in the house of the LORD, and in the house of the king of Judah and of Jerusalem; (22) They shall be carried to Babylon, and there shall they be until the day that I visit them, saith the LORD; then will I bring them up, and restore them to this place. 7. [Jeremiah 28:[ (1) And it came to pass the same year, in the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah king of Judah, in the fourth year, and in the fifth month, that Hananiah the son of Azur the prophet, which was of Gibeon, spake unto me in the house of the LORD, in the presence of the priests and of all the people, saying, (2) Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, I have broken the yoke of the king of Babylon. (3) Within two full years will I bring again into this place all the vessels of the LORD's house, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon took away from this place, and carried them to Babylon: (4) And I will bring again to this place Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim king of Judah, with all the captives of Judah, that went into Babylon, saith the LORD: for I will break the yoke of the king of Babylon. (5) Then the prophet Jeremiah said unto the prophet Hananiah in the presence of the priests, and in the presence of all the people that stood in the house of the LORD, (6) Even the prophet Jeremiah said, Amen: the LORD do so: the LORD perform thy words which thou hast prophesied, to bring again the vessels of the LORD's house, and all that is carried away captive, from Babylon into this place. (7) Nevertheless hear thou now this word that I speak in thine ears, and in the ears of all the people; (8) The prophets that have been before me and before thee of old prophesied both against many countries, and against great kingdoms, of war, and of evil, and of pestilence. (9) The prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to pass, then shall the prophet be known, … 8. Now see, that’s absolutely what Moses said. And here’s your perfect picture. (9) (What the) prophet which prophesieth of peace, when the word of the prophet shall come to (peace), then shall the prophet be known, that the LORD hath truly sent him. There’s always got to be a vindication, in order to indicate. (10) Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke from off the prophet Jeremiah's neck, and brake it. Now notice, he gives way to action, to emotions, sentiment, demonstration…but that’s not God. (11) And Hananiah (spoke) in the presence of all the people, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Even so will I break the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon from the neck of all nations within the space of two full years. And the prophet Jeremiah went his way. (12) Then the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah the prophet, after that Hananiah the prophet had broken the yoke from off the neck of the prophet Jeremiah, saying, 9. Notice, they’re both prophets now. (13) Go and tell Hananiah, saying, Thus saith the LORD; Thou hast broken the yokes of wood; but thou shalt make for them yokes of iron. (14) For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; I have put a yoke of iron upon the neck of all these nations, that they may serve Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon; and they shall serve him: and I have given him the beasts of the field also. (15) Then said the prophet Jeremiah unto Hananiah the prophet, Hear now, Hananiah; The LORD hath not sent thee; but thou makest this people to trust in a lie. You’re going to organization, brother. (16) Therefore, thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will cast thee from off the face of the earth: this year thou shalt die, because thou hast taught rebellion against the LORD. (17) So Hananiah the prophet died the same year in the seventh month. Seven months to go, he was cut off. Now, I think you’re all aware that Bro. Branham had an experience a lot like that, when he was …preaching in the Full Gospel Businessmen, he prophesied that I think it was Florence Shakarian…I think that was her name…would die, Demos’ sister, and dying of cancer. And somebody got up after a very emotional time and sometime later, under tremendous fervor, prophesied that she would not die. And so, the question came up, “Well Bro. Branham, what about it?” His son said. Then he said, “All I know is (he said) may she not die, may her word come to pass that she won’t die. But, all I know is that God told me she would. You watch, when she does die. Let us watch.” She died. And Bro. Branham said, “What time was it?” Right around two o’clock. The very time he prophesied she would die. See? 10. So, you see, those things. Now, you have a perfect picture there of two prophets, who claimed ‘Thus Saith the Lord’. And we see here in perfection, what Moses taught back in Deuteronomy 18: Now, I want us to be careful to note that this peculiar prophet, is like Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15-18, and this is taken from Exodus 20:18-22. So, let’s just go back there now, to Deuteronomy 18: again, and read what It says, beginning at verse 15 this time. (15) (And) the LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him (you) shall hearken; (16) According to all that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly, saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see this great fire any more, that I die not. (17) And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken. (18) I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. (19) And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. (20) But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. (21) And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? (22) When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him. 11. Now, turn to Exodus 20:18-22, and we’ll see the history. (18) And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. (19) And they said unto Moses, Speak thou with us, and we will hear: but let not God speak with us, lest we die. (20) And Moses said unto the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that his fear may be before your faces, that ye sin not. (21) And the [people] stood afar off, and [Moses] drew near unto the thick darkness where God was. (22) And the LORD said unto Moses, …thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. Now, you’ll see here, that Israel did not want to have God speak with them directly. They implored that God would use some other means, particularly a man like Moses. And so therefore, God said, “They have well spoken what they have spoken, and I will see that from now on, this will not occur again. They will not see the Pillar of Fire, and they’ll not hear My Voice. But I would have My Voice come to them, through human instrumentality.” That’s exactly why Jesus had to become a man. Or one of the reasons why He had to become a man as that prophet in…whose mouth God put His Word. And you’ll notice, that Jesus never said, ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, He said, “Verily, verily, I say unto you.” But He was a Prophet, God put His Words in His mouth. And any other prophet, that will be a prophet of God, outside of Jesus Christ, must truly have ‘Thus Saith the Lord’. 12. So, this kind of prophet that we’re talking about…Moses, hears the voice of God. As Bro. Branham said, “According to Deuteronomy 18: it takes prophet like Moses to hear the Voice of God.” And you know, we have not had one of those since Paul, until this time. And only at this time, or the very end-time before Jesus returns for a Bride, do we have such a prophet. And we find that of course in, Acts 3:19b-22 (19) …when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord. That’s any part of God, or any part which can be seen with the eye. (20) And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was (appointed) unto you: (21) Whom the heaven must (retain) until the (restoration) of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. (22) For Moses truly (spake) unto the fathers, (saying) A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him (you'll) hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. (23) And (it'll) come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. And you can see you're at the end-time, a prophet has to rise, and we know exactly who is going to bring restoration. It’s according to Matthew 17:11, it has to be Elijah. There has to be a prophet at the end-time, just before Jesus Christ comes, with the great miracle signs and wonders ministry. Who is going to restore the Word of this Age, and he’s going to say all that the prophets have said. So therefore, it’s going to take a prophet that’s going to be Elijah. 13. Now, let us know as kindly as possible, that if any man other than a ‘Thus Saith the Lord’ prophet says, he has heard the audible voice of God, he is not telling a scriptural thing. Many people don’t understand that. I’m not saying you cannot hear a voice, and that voice being of God…or from God. I’m not saying God cannot speak to people. What I am saying is this; that a prophet of this caliber, anybody, who hears the Voice of Almighty God, absolutely would have to be this kind of a prophet. Now, I’m now talking of literally, when it comes to God speaking face to face, out of the Pillar of Fire. Now, He can excite your auditory nerve. He could have an angel speak to you. The Holy Spirit could impress you. But for someone like I’m standing here talking, it’s absolutely impossible for anybody other than this kind of a prophet, to hear this verbalizing. Because that prophet then, can speak back to God, and God speaks back to him. There’s a type of communication, and oral intercourse there, that where they speak back and forth. That nobody else could possibly have. Yet there are people who say, that they have heard the voice of God. 14. I was under the misapprehension of that one time myself. Back in 1939 because I was so sure that Hitler would not declare war, that there would not be a war. I thought the antichrist had to come, and various things take place. And God knowing my heart, gave me a vision. I was sitting bolt upright in bed, and in pure dark room, and there I saw the armies invading Poland. I saw the stuka divers, I saw the cannons breaking, I saw the goose-steppers, and a voice audibly cries loudly, “Hitler will invade Poland.” Well, I thought that was the voice of God. Well, that was erroneous, that was not the voice of God. My auditory nerve might have been stimulated, might be an angel said something. But for God to audibly speak Himself to me, it’s an impossibility. Because I am not that kind of a person, that we have people amongst us today, who say they hear the voice of God. They are in great error. That they maybe sincere, but sincerity is not the answer. We don’t want sincerity, we want infallibility. Because our lives are depending on it. So, remember what the prophet said, take it to heart. 15. Now, in this our generation, we were visited by such a prophet, that we're speaking of. This prophet was William Marrion Branham. And his indication, that he was the end-time Elijah of Malachi 4:5-6, is proven by a manifested vindication. See? Its indication is his vindication. He had ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, with unfailing results, hundreds of times. And the ministry which I mentioned in Acts 3:19, set him forth to be exactly like Jesus, and John 15:24 where you know the verse that says, (24) If I had not done … the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father. The literal manifested eyeball Presence of God, is in the supernatural ministry, where the words of a man, ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, cannot possibly accomplish anything, unless they are the words of God. Then those words accomplish, which the words of no man could accomplish. And it’s got to be God. And it was absolutely indicated, by the ‘Thus Saith the Lord’ vindication, that this was a prophet like unto Moses, and like unto Paul. Regardless what any student may say. I don’t care what anybody says, this is the Bible, and I think what intelligent enough, as I told you many times. I was born in Canada, I never saw a cardinal, a beautiful red bird. But I did see it in the books, and I heard about it. And the minute I laid my eyeballs upon a cardinal, I said, “That’s the cardinal.” Yep. 16. Now, you see, I should know, and I did know. I had no trouble. But if you don’t know your stuff. Now, our son hasn’t seen a blue bird for so many years, he forgot what a blue bird looks like. And my wife didn’t remember too well either. So the other day, they were telling me that they saw a couple of blue birds, and some little babies, nesting. And I said, “Good, I want to see this.” And what it was, it was a swallow, it was one of those swallows that have a red breast and the toque in a very dark blue was too dark entirely. Because he’s got a kind of a fishtail, on it. You know? And it’s not the same as a blue bird. And there’s an eastern blue bird, and a western blue bird. I guess different kinds. But the blue bird we used to know, back in Alberta, the same one down in Missouri, was, …you know, if you just get a picture and know about them, you could spot a bird. Now, that’s how a lot of people tell things. They go to the book, and if they have a modicum of sensibility, they can go from the book to what is out there. Therefore, if any man is the least bit spiritual, and there's something in the Bible concerning this kind of a prophet, the illustration is there. Then if that prophet comes on the scene, you know that’s that prophet. And it doesn’t matter what anybody says. See? It’s doesn’t matter at all. But of course, that doesn’t always stand. You’ve got people who just simply will not do that. 17. Now, the purpose of this message, is really from what we see here, this tremendous, phenomenon, that God has set forth in our generation, a prophet with ‘Thus Saith the Lord’. I want to say to you tonight, a little bit, or speak a little bit what ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, means and what it really means to me. Basically, it stands all alone, as the one irrefutable, Voice of God. And nothing in anyway can compete with It. Now, that’s a flat final statement, that I believe is just as much the Word of Almighty God, is as if William Branham stood here himself, right here with the Pillar of Fire visible, and said, “Thus Saith the Lord, listen to this statement.” I want to repeat. It stands all alone, as the One…because God doesn’t have two…irrefutable Voice of God. And nothing in anyway can compete with It. I said, “Nothing, can compete with It.” Because the very tremendous ministry that attracts our attention, is only the attractor to the honey in the rock. It’s not the honey. It’s the attraction to the honey. The miracle ministry of Bro. Branham, which was his vindication. See? Which indicated Meda, showed her that he was a prophet, with a Word Message from God. So therefore, no matter what transpires, no matter. Now, I want to lay it on. Because before this age is over, there could well be demonstrations of such power that could take person after person away from the Word of Almighty God. 18. Now, it is exactly the Word. It is exactly the Word. To which nothing can be added, nor anything taken away. It's preaching, teaching, or explaining can end up only as saying what has already been said, or it is not the Word of God as given by the prophet. True. Now, let’s just consider in a way, the strong statements. Why do I make the strong statements? Because of what is taking place. Too many in the Bride so called, are looking for a Mount Carmel showdown, when it is Mount Zion. Bro. Branham in no place has said, that you and I are going to have our own private Mount Carmel, or our own private vindication. He says that, …"Mount Carmel is finished." He said, “The next mountain is Mount Zion, which is the Rapture.” Unwittingly, there are those… unwittingly, but truly, they are competing with ‘Thus Saith the Lord’. Because they're looking for a personal vindication of leadership, not realizing, that to compete, is to put the person into Deuteronomy 13: 19. Let’s take a look at It again. First [two] verses. (1) If there arise among you a prophet, (yes sir) or a dreamer of dreams... Even one that gives you a sign and a wonder. Might even come to your place and tell you something is going to come to pass, it would be just tremendous to you. (2) And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he (spoke) unto (you), saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Like a man come by and tell you what’s happening in the assembly over there. Maybe in Europe…hey? You’ve got a woman that can prophesy. Might be his wife, hey? Well, let’s nail it down. I want to know if we’re spineless over here, where we’ve got some great guts, since the prophet left us? You want to challenge me? I’ll take your challenge, I’m ready for a fight. You won’t...I know. I want to get you solid brother/sister, I don’t care what they prophesy. When that man said Bro. Branham makes ...?... errors. Huh? You want to go home now, or should we talk? I’m not kidding. I’m not kidding. You really see this Message? Do you believe ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, or are you just kidding me? That man does not have ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, nor his wife, nor does anybody else. I don’t, you don’t. I don’t care what signs or wonders are in this world, my brother, my sister. The signs and the wonder for vindication, to set forth indication, have transpired. 20. This is the last Message there is, there isn’t any other. And when you take a Word, or call the man which was a prophet of God, of the caliber of William Branham, and say that man has made mistakes here and there in the doctrine, …there’s something wrong somewhere. Because let’s face it, those errors were corrected. If those open Seals, where Christ Himself was their Word. And you don’t add or take from It. You see? Now, he’s not the only one. I’ve got a tape, where a man says to a certain bunch of people, he says, “Who are you to get answers to prayer, like I am?” Now, he’s an authority. Maybe that man might pray for you. You may be dying of cancer, TB, malaria, who knows? Gives you a mighty good sign and wonder. He’s no authority. Another man is quoting what Bro. Branham said, I wish I had written the quote down. It’s one Bro. Bill used himself, all the time. Where God raises the dead amongst us. You see, he’s using that for himself. He believes he’s raised the dead twice on occasion. How do you know when the prophet said, “The soul lingers, when the spirit’s gone?” Old ...?... when I heard myself least thirty years ago, in Canada...back in British Columbia. He was a ...?..., who died of tuberculosis, in the ...?... in United States. They threw him in a room, and corpses were piled three and four feet upon him, for four solid days there was no pulse or anything else, he was dead. But he’s living. Yeah. Oh yeah people want their own Mount Carmel. They want their own personal vindication. Let me tell you brother/sister, it might not mean this to you. But I’m invited here to preach, so I tell what it means to me. It isn’t anybody else. And there’s not going to be anybody else. Not to the Gentiles, anyway. Sure, we don’t need anymore vindication. Why should God vindicate, when it’s already vindicated? What the people need, is a true revelation by the Holy Ghost of what has been spoken. Or, needing more vindication here and there. There isn’t any coming. I challenge any man to show me there’s going to be his own personal Mount Carmel. See? …too many are adding their own ideas. They are eating off what they don’t want. You usually have to have that too. 21. Deuteronomy 4: let’s take a look at It. Now, don’t think that I’ve got a personal fight in this thing, that’s not personal to me at all. I’m the only man that wrote anything decent concerning Bro Branham, and that’s not much of a book either. But I wrote, I know what I was writing about. This is concerning a ministry he had with ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, not Lee Vayle. I’m not a personal champion, but I’ll tell you here’s what I see here. Now, this 4th chapter. He said in verse 2. You could read 1-3 if you want, that’s all right. (1) Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that (you) may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers (gave) you. (2) (You) shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither diminish ought from it, that (you) may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. Look, there was no such thing as anything God kept by faith, or by action, when one Word, has been changed. It has become absolutely dead. And the promise of Almighty God for this hour, of the Resurrection and the Rapture, and the Millennium, is absolutely dead by adding one Word, or taking one Word. Because He said, “You made void the promises of the Word of God, by your tradition. The promise of God has no life, with one iota changed. See? Not one bit. 22. Now He said, (3) Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baalpeor: … Now, if you look up in the Hebrew the way I did, you are going to find I believe that the best I can see here, that this refers Baalpeor… refers to the female primary sex organ. Which refers to fornication. Which refers to what we’re talking about…adding or taking from the Word of God...is spiritual fornication. There’s where your creeds and dogmas are. There’s where your preachers are. See? They want something other that what the prophet gave. Revelation 22:18-19, you well know what It says. That if you add a word, the plagues are going to be added. How in the world can the plagues be added, except, you’re right before the Great Tribulation. There’s only one time when the plagues can be added and that’s just before the Great Tribulation. Then, there’s one time that you could take from the Word, and that sends you now, not just to the Great Tribulation, but sends you to the Great White Throne, and It says, you're parsed out of the Book of Life. 23. Now, let’s go back to Revelation 22 then. We’re looking at It. And notice, that this absolutely follows Revelation 10, [now] 22:10 (10) And he (said)…, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. The time is right there, when it’s going to be too late when everything crystallizes. When the kingdom of God is gelled, and solidified. And Satan’s kingdom is about to be rendered…be rent from it. That separates the chaff from the wheat and so on. See? Now, of course we know, back in [Rev.] 10:4 it was closed, what the seven thunders uttered. But It says right back here, those seven thunders must come with the Word, and Bro. Branham said, those …. (I wish we had a quote here, it's in the Seven Seals I think it is…the Seal Book. And It says absolutely categorically, "If any man says he understands and knows those seven thunders, it’s got to come ‘Thus Saith the Lord’." 24. The prophet tells you flat, there isn’t anybody going to bring those thunders, except the prophet with ‘Thus Saith the Lord.’ And he said it’ll align with the rest of the Word. And that’s exactly right. It’s going to have to be in here. Now remember, he said there’s certain things that a prophet will say that are not in the Word. You believe him anyway. But when it came to the Thunders, he said, “It’s in the Word.” It’ll align with the rest, read your quote. I got it somewhere. I don’t know if it’s in the back of the Bible or not. I write a lot of things, in a lot of Bibles, that’s the trouble, I never bring the right Bible. I pick up the one that looks the best, because, all the rest are falling apart. Nope, I don’t find it. But I’ll tell you one thing, there’s only one man’s got ‘Thus Saith the Lord’. Because, he said on page 566, ‘Thus Saith the Lord’ but has there ever been one time I ever told you anything in the Name of the Lord, it wasn’t right all these years?” Nobody else could say so, because I always quote it just as he told it. Only one man could do this. No other man could do it. But the way people talk these days, sounds like they’ve got more of a wagon load, than Bro. Bill had. 25. Now, too often the preaching is not sermonizing on exactly what was said, because of explanations of their own ideas. And many times, the pew want it this way. Not all the time, but there are times the pew wants it this way. For some feel that since Bro. Branham brought the mysteries, brought the Word of God, in other words, he came between us and God. So now, some manner of men must become now between Bro. Branham’s Message, and them. Now, that’s entirely fallacious. That’s entirely wrong. There isn’t anybody, anywhere with any authority. And I regard no man as an authority, because he doesn’t have it. Apostles, prophets, anything else, there is only one person, and that's a vindicated prophet, who can take authority over any clergy, or any ministry. Because if he does otherwise, then being a Word ordained prophet, he is nothing but a Nicolaitan, a bishop. Nothing but a man, with humanistic ideas. But when William Branham came, it was ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, it was Almighty God setting the whole church in order. Needs someone sitting around, setting in order…this, that, and another thing. 26. Now, but some people want it that way, and some preachers want it that way. Let me tell you flat, there are no authorities. Today, the world's divided up over this brother's pastor in America. And this brother's pastor in Europe, and this brother's over in New Zealand maybe, or Australia somewhere. Hogwash. It's nonsense. That’s literally blasphemy against the Word of Almighty God. Since the prophet was here, God has ordained in His Church a five-fold ministry, and the local pastor is a supreme authority, in his area where God placed him, and he’s ordained to carry you through. Not somebody else. That’s right. Now, the Joshua, is the Holy Ghost. But since the prophet is gone, we have the Holy Ghost Him alone. As I showed you, in my little message. 'The Parousia,' 'The Presence of the Lord', it was the Holy Ghost come back identical. Now, He hasn’t left us. I just got a quote from that little blue book I got. I didn’t write it down… ...?... Where Bro. Branham mentions way back in 1950 something…His Presence, and His Presence is here leading us. See? And He will lead a five-fold ministry, that's true, to correctly preach this Word, and hold you to It. See? Because you’re anointed of God to do it. Bro. Branham said it was ordained. 27. Now, let’s go further. ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, makes the prophet exactly Hebrews 1:1 Now, we’re going to take a look at why this man is the man he is. (1) God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, No, He spake in times past, unto the fathers in the prophets. This fellow that was putting the little things in the middle here,…Scofield and his guys, didn't have enough on the ball to put the word ‘in’ instead of ‘by’. Because they don’t like that. They don’t want God in the prophet, they want Him outside. All right. “Thus Saith the Lord’, makes the prophet exactly Hebrews 1:1, God incarnate. But how was he God incarnate? According to Hebrews 1:1? 28. He was God incarnate in a limited way. What is a limited way? Revelation 1:10-18. (10) I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet, (11) Saying, I am Alpha and Omega, (and so on) … (12) And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. (conversational, … mouth to his ear, and He back.) And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; (the church, the Bride.) (13) And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, … One that said the same thing as the Son of man, one carrying on as the Son of man. Identical to what He was, when he was on earth, no difference, the same one. (13) …clothed with a garment down to the foot, girt about the paps with a golden girdle. (14) His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; eyes were as a flame of fire; (15) ...feet like unto fine brass, they burned in a furnace; voice the sound of many waters. (16) ... he (held) in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. (17) And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: (18) I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and death. Now, here we find Jesus Christ Himself, in the midst of the Bride, and He’s got in His hand, seven stars. And out of His mouth goes a sharp two-edged sword. 29. Now, let’s just see that. How is He here in the church? The Church living by Him. And He, that Son of man. That prophet in the Church. Okay, Revelation 2:1-7 (1) Unto the (messenger) of the church (which in) Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who (walks) in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; Notice verse 7, (7) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; to him that overcometh, will I give to eat of the tree of life, (and so on) Now, you can see right here, in verse 8, and 11, and 12, and 17, and 18, and 29. And down through the two chapters. It always starts out, that you are to hear what the Spirit says. God is speaking. Jesus is speaking. Then It says, (7) He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit (is saying.) … Seven times the Holy Spirit, incarnates Himself in seven men, in order to bring the Word. And two of these …or two of those times, those men are prophets. Alpha and Omega. Which would be, Paul and the end-time messenger. 30. Now, these seven men, two of whom are prophets like Moses, was, are also seen in, Revelation 5:5-7. (5) ...one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. (6) And I beheld, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. That’s the same one he saw in the midst of the golden candlesticks. Because He can’t change. I don’t care what He looks like. He can’t change. He’s the same. So, He with the seven stars, now It says, He’s got seven Spirits. See? Seven horns. Seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits, the slain lamb. Horn signifies power. See? And notice, He has seven eyes. That’s the ability to see. Now, this one here, has seven Spirits. Now, you don’t know that they aren’t seven Spirits in all the world, because God has only got one Spirit. What is it? 31. It’s what we read over here. [Revelation 2:] (1) Unto the angel (which is) the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who (walks) in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; (7) He that hath an ear, let him hear what (what he says to) the churches;... You see? It is God Himself, incarnating Himself by His Word, for that age. Bringing forth the revelation of Himself, to the people, so that He can be their Redeemer. 32. It is also, Revelation 1:12-16, which I read to you over here. And also 20. (20) The mystery (how) the seven stars which (you saw) in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the (messengers to) the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou (saw) are the seven churches. (See?) Now, what is that Spirit exactly? 33. It’s over here in Zechariah 3:9 (9) For behold the stone that I have laid before Joshua; upon one stone shall be seven eyes: behold, I will engrave the graving thereof, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day. Now, you can apply that to us, in a limited way here too....This could also go to Israel. But you see in here, God doing a work. And we have our Joshua here, before it was taken over. The engraving. The Word of the Lord given to us in our hour, of our needs. Now, we can just read a little bit here. Beginning [Zechariah] at chapter 4. (1) And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep. (2) And said..., What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, a bowl upon the top of it, and seven lamps thereon, seven pipes to the seven lamps, … upon the top thereof: (3) And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side …, (one) upon the left side … (4) ...I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord? (5) ...the angel that talked with me (answered, and said unto me), Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. (6) (And) then he answered and (said) unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. (7) Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace… Now, right here at the end-time, It tells you how the Headstone is going to be brought forth. Brought forth by the Holy Spirit Himself. But the Holy Spirit, is not simply poured out upon people. That’s been going on for two thousand years. It’s coming through an individual, who at the end-time, will speak to the people. Because he hears from God. They cannot hear from God. So therefore, he becomes the Holy Spirit to us. 34. Now, as the seven messengers were loosed by Jesus, to bring seven messages, to seven ages. So, at the end-time, under the Seventh Seal, the counterpart of all those Seven Church Ages, they were loosed to bring down the full revelation of Christ the Word, to an end-time Bride. I don’t have the quotes on that. But there’s two places at least. And one is in the Seals. And one is in The Rapture [65-12-04], tape, but Bro. Borders got the words wrong. And you’ll find in there, that Bro. Branham was bringing out the fact, that those seven messengers came down as the Holy Spirit, and each one had a Message for the hour…for the Age, rather. And the seventh one, meant more to him than anyone else, because He revealed no doubt…what was under the Seven Seals. Because... the Seven Church Ages, not that they correspond the Seven Seals, but as there were Seven Church Ages, seven messengers, seven Messages, there were Seven Seals. And...at the end-time, the seven messengers brought down the revelation which would take place under that Seventh Seal. Now of course, I believe that those Messages that came down, were the Thunders…people can believe what they want. But I believe they were. 35. Now, thus the prophet, …now see, these seven messengers , …they were loosed to bring down the full revelation of Christ the Word, to an end-time Bride. Because that’s what happened. Now, you’ll know what happened , because Bro. Branham said speaking to Charlie Cox, he said, “Charlie, what you noticed, the people in this building noticed, I wanted you to catch what was going on this week.” He said, “It was them seven angels. The seven messengers. They would be embodiment as it were of the Holy Spirit, bringing that Word.” And then you’ll notice under the Seventh Seal, as Bro. Branham mentioned that, the seven messages under the First Seal. He said, “Oh what a mistake I would have made, but the Holy Spirit swept into the room.” Now make up your mind. Holy Spirit, or seven ministers. What it was, as I understand the Scripture here, both in heaven and in earth, God in Seven Ages, had as it were, counterparts. 36. Here stood a mighty angel, down here with Paul. Here stood a mighty angel. Down here’s Irenaeus, and so on, until a great mighty angel number seven, …and here stood William Branham. Then at the end-time, They all came down. See? In a form, and It was the Holy Spirit. See? Now, the power of God demonstrated in the Seven Ages. What was It? It was bringing Himself forth into redemption, that men could be saved, and come to full redemption through Him. So, at the end-time, when redemption runs out, it is going to be a replay of the whole thing. It’s got to be. Why? Because all in all somehow had got to reveal the All in all of Him. Now, how are you going to do that, unless you’ve go the whole Word of God? How are you going to have It, unless the whole Bride is standing here at one time? You can’t have It. Can’t have It any other way. That Bride’s got to stand here, as that full Word of Almighty God. So, here we see it, the prophet in the last age, was God to the people as Paul was to the First Age. As Paul said, “Did the Word of God come out of you, or, did it come to you?” [1 Cor 14:36] See? Even as it was in Moses’ day, way back there. 37. In Exodus 4:14-16, let’s look at It. (14) And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Moses, and he said, Is not Aaron the Levite thy brother? I know that he can speak well. Also, behold, he (comes) forth to meet thee: and when he seeth thee, he will be glad in his heart. (15) And thou shalt speak unto him, and put words in his mouth: and I will be with thy mouth, and with his mouth, and will teach you what ye shall do. (16) And he shall be thy spokesman unto the people: and he shall be, even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth, and thou shalt be to him instead of God. Then he said, (17) … take this rod…(and do what I tell you to do, ‘Thus Saith the Lord’ and prove that this is so.) So, here It says right here, categorically. That the prophet with ‘Thus Saith the Lord’ is God to the people. Now, if that prophet is God to the people, where does that leave ‘Thus Saith the Lord’? It leaves it absolutely incontrifutable, as the one voice of Almighty God, in this generation. And there isn’t another. Therefore, anything outside this Message, cannot come to life. Anything added, anything taken, is the same thing. Right back in organization, right back in spiritual fornication. See? Now, this is a somber note for everyone to heed, whether it be preacher, or whether it be the pew. Makes no difference. See? That man absolutely becomes God to the people. This is not some boast, or something that somebody wants to aggrandize himself. This is the truth. That the man becomes the voice of Almighty God. 38. Now, let’s go further. It’s not only thus and so, it becomes God to the people, but 'Thus Saith the Lord’ is a tie-post. It is a tie-post that is a cornerstone of first, 2 Peter 1:15-21. Let’s take a look at this. Okay, now watch: (15) Moreover I will endeavour that (you) may be able after my decease to have (all) these things always in remembrance. (16) For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord... (Jesus, that’s the Presence of God in that Man) but (we saw) his majesty. (17) For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (18) And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. (19) We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto (you'll) do well that (you) take heed, as unto a light that (shines) in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: (20) Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. (21) For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Now, you can see right here what Peter was telling us. He is telling us, the power of the Word of God, that comes by a prophet. 39. Now with this, 1 Peter 2:1-10 (1) Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, all evil speaking, (2) As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that (you) may grow thereby: (3) If so be...tasted that the Lord is gracious. (4) To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, (5) (You) also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (6) Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that (believes) on him shall not be confounded. (7) Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is (become) the head of the corner, (not just a cornerstone, but head.) (8) And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. Now, what I’m showing you is; that this Word of God, is the Cornerstone. Which becomes the Headstone. The Cornerstone, is what we’re talking about. 40. Now, that if this Message Bro. Branham gave us, is a tie-post, he reason I say tie-post, is because the Cornerstone tells you what It’s all about. What is this building about? Look at the Cornerstone. What’s It erected to? What’s It all about? What’s Its purpose? Why is it here? See? In other words, It answers the question. Now, the apostle Peter, tells us right here, that this Word of God is not by private interpretation. Man did not bring it of himself. No sir. It came as men were windswept by the Holy Ghost, It is the Word of God in the mouths of human beings. Fallible men, like Moses, like David. See? Men who would qualify as sinners, except for the Blood of Jesus Christ. But God entered those men, by His Spirit, because as Bro. Branham said, “The Word descends by the prophet’s Spirit. Not, your spirit, not my spirit. By the prophet’s Spirit, the Word comes down. " So therefore, God incarnated Himself, in that individual, that living Word. Now, this then which Word, is the vindicated, true Word of Almighty God, becomes the tie-post, the Cornerstone is our tie-post the revealed Word of Almighty God. But in spite of It being a tie-post, to the messenger in the Word, It has become a flying wedge, dividing the people. Now, we have a tie-post, if people will only leave it as one. But they’re not. I like what Bro. Bob Brown said. He made a statement, when I was talking on the phone. He said, "Lee, there's that ‘Deity cult'. But he said, “I’ve got to recognize this, that they are as identified with the prophet and his Message, as much as I am, whether I like it or not.” 41. Now, that’s the right spirit. But that’s not what people are doing. That the preacher is not doing it, and the pulpit is not doing it. Now, let’s get right down to nitty-gritty. I’m a preacher who most of you hear in the pulpit, I mean, the pew right there, Although there are some preachers down in the pews. But let’s face it, neither the preachers nor the people are content to leave it that way. They’re not. There’s a constant segregation, all the time. As Paul warned of drawing apart in Acts 20: So did William Branham also warn. But we are divided, into many groups and schisms. But the true Bride, has a right Spirit, and she understands that ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, brings them together, and that the true Bride will always try to bring them back together. Now, it’s a long time ago, since a certain brother said, “If you don’t believe like me,” he said, “I can’t fellowship with you.” I folded my Bible up. And the same fellow criticized me, that I didn’t talk to them. Why should I? How could I, …I should say really, because when I try to talk, there’s never two sides to anything. There’s nobody here we can have two pairs of eyes, looking at one object, and maybe it takes the four eyes, to see the whole object. But one fellow sits there and he’ll swear, that what he sees, and what he sees alone, is what the Word of God says. But we’ve got to come to that place, as Bro. Branham had, and told it. He said, “Don’t you be that way.” And he said, “Even when somebody comes in amongst you, the devil ...?...” He told us how to conduct ourselves, so that we would stay together. See? Not, and not, and not, as men running around the world, destroying each others’ works. I tell you, I am not…well, how can I put it? There's certain feelings I don’t want to have against anybody. But I will say from this pulpit, and I’m not ashamed to say it, I am incensed to know that a man from America, went to Switzerland, and tore up France ...?...work over this Message. And I’ll just tell you flat, I don’t care if you’re pure pulpit, you do that and in my books, you no more know the Message then ‘Thus Saith the Lord,’ than nothing. Now, I’ll just tell you flat, you don’t. You may think you know him, you may think that I know him. But we’re wrong. I’ll tell you why. 42. Let’s go to Matthew 23:34-39 to find out. Then you’ll know if we’re on Bible grounds, or, whether the prophet said the truth. Now: (34) Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, wise men, and scribes: … The prophets bring the Word, the wise men can describe the Word, or sort of, not embellish It, but they can explain It, and the scribes only writes it down. (34) …and some (you) shall kill and crucify; and some (you'll) scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: Now, It says right there, anyone with the true Word, is going to have a tough time. (35) That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel (to) the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom (You) slew between the temple and the altar. (36) Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. (37) (Listen) O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest (those) prophets, (stoned the scribes and(the) wise men, those that I sent), how often would I have gathered thy children … Now, he said, “I was gathering.” But how was He gathering? He was gathering by the prophet. 43. Now, that’s exactly Bro. Branham’s own words. And I showed you that the other day. Second Thessalonians 2:1 (1) Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, (even) our gathering together unto him, Bro. Branham said that, that positively was the Message. Now, they listened, if that’s the Message, then the Message will keep us together. They won’t scatter us. Now, then if the Message has become a flying wedge, and we are being separated, there's got to be one of two reasons. Either, that Message is not being preached right, or it’s got the wrong spirit. Plain and simple. Now, you can look anyway you want. But you see, I know what I’m talking about. I’ve been around all these years. And right off the bat, it’s started. You believe this, or you’re not Bride. Who’s to say, who’s Bride? Who’s to say who’s Bride? The Scripture says, "That the foundation of God stands sure, the Lord knows them which are His." [2 Tim 2:19] It doesn’t say that you and I know. 44. Now, that’s the seal that the Scripture says is a Seal. Who are the Lord's. The Lord only knows. But oh boy, how we put everybody in, and put everybody out, because they believe like we do…or, don’t believe like us. Now, I know. There is a certain sense of good fellowship, when we are compatible in our thinking, but let me tell you flat. When that compatibility is only based upon you and I thinking alike, then let me tell you what happens…I’ve seen it. I’ve seen men rise out of the pew, and literally crucify a man of God, and stand and tell lies and do every rotten trick in the book. They send their tithes somewhere else, even, and let the guy starve. And yet, the man was the man, that founded that work in that area, and built up the prophet and brought people to God’s Word. But they have no compunction tearing apart the people. Nor destroying a work. See? Now, I told you, it’s supposed to be a tie-post, or a cornerstone. And then, the building gets built. When you make it a flying wedge, what happens? Becomes a football game. Yeah. You’ll notice how to grab the ball, when someone else has got it. Bro. Branham warned about carrying the ball. But I have yet to see anybody carry this ball, or this Message, when someone’s always anxious to grab the ball, and run with it. Oh, he’ll claim every work under heaven is his, and he'll claim every authority, like I told you 45. A guy went down, a certain brother’s church in Texas, and he said, “Do you know what I did last night? But I dedicated you back to God, and therefore, there’s great cause for rejoicing.” I said to that preacher, “How come he dedicated your church back to God? Were you too sloppy? Couldn’t you do it?” What’s going on anyway? See? Man interfering and pulling apart the fruit of somebody else, that is absolutely despicable. What did Bro. Branham say? He said, “Oh God, fill my church and empty it. Somebody else, gets the fruit.” But now, men want to grab the ball, and take someone else’s truth. Now, I repeat that ‘Thus Saith the Lord’ is…got to find them four, five and six, brother/sister. Consolidates the Bride, doesn’t pull her apart. You go back in history, and you'll prove it to yourself. The very thing that Paul warned, William Branham warned. But they are using the very thing to put us together, to destroy us. Why can’t people leave well enough alone? Oh, how they'll dodge the very Scripture you know though, or the very quotes that you know. Oh, they'll dodge and they got no answer. 46. Brother talking about the Thunders, as though he has the Thunders all figured out. That’s very nice, I don’t. So, a friend of mine phoned him and he said, “Well,” he said, “Brother, I understand you say so and so.” “Yep, that’s right. ” “Well, (he said) didn’t Bro. Branham say in 1964, the 'Questions and Answers' in August, they asked about the seven Thunders?” He said, “That’s what those Seven Seals are all about.” Would he do that? He said, “That was an off-the-cuff answer, to some Pentecostal preachers.” Now, I’ve got to get that guy where ever he is…I think you might know where he is. I’ve got to go to him and say, “What was off the cuff?” Now, he’s the only man that’s going to know it. But you go to him, he’s lied. Oh, has he? That’s splitting? I want to tell you something. If you feel your church has got it, and the rest don’t, you ain’t got it. You’re not even near it. And you’ve got no compassion. You’re a hardnosed, pain in the neck, to yourself, to your neighbours, and Almighty God. Because you’re so messed up its pitiful. Because you ain’t got it. You couldn’t have it, having a spirit like that. Because brotherly kindness my brother/sister, is what we’re supposed to have in this age, the Holy Spirit. And when this truth, is tearing us up, and this Message is bringing all the trash to the surface, that’s exactly what Sis. Shepherd’s dream was. And that’s exactly what the prophet said it was. 47. Then, the honey was poured in, to hold it. I want to ask, where is the honey? Yeah, I want to know. You can’t…there’s nobody going to say he’s got the Holy Ghost honey. While this carrying on is going on Now, I’m doing my…I’m not doing my best, but hopefully, I will eventually do my best, to have what I’m talking about to you, to get my spirit, and brotherly kindness, under control. So that I can say concerning the tie-post, I’m identified with every single person as my brother/my sister. I don’t care what they believe, or how they believe it. Because there’s going to be a Rapture one day, that’s going to point out who is what, and who isn’t. See? Until that day, we better keep ourselves. And I didn’t know until two years ago, taking bitter experience to show me, what I’m preaching to you here tonight. ‘Thus Saith the Lord’ my brother/sister, is the Cornerstone, tie-post. But it’s being used as a stumbling stone, a rock of offence, a flying wedge, a bludgeon, against the people that say they believe this Message. 48. Now, who am I to tell you, or, you to tell me, how to believe? This is one of the hardest verses to get across to anybody living. Let me show you what the real Holy Ghost does, according to the Book of 1 Corinthians 2:9 Now, It says: (9) … Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them… In other words, who love this Word, His Word and what's there. (10) But God… revealed … unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. The Spirit of God searches, within Himself, that Word, to bring It to our attention right, and right season. (11) For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. (12) Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. It says right there, the Spirit of God is given to you and me to know the things of God. Now Paul says, (13) Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. In other words, it’s got to stay within the framework of the Word. You don’t jump from the Bible, to the New York Times, and the Philadelphia Enquirer, or the US World Report and News, you stay with the Word. But the natural man, receives not, the things of the Spirit of God. They're foolishness to him. Neither can he know them, they're spiritually discerned. 49. Now listen: But he that is spirit, …you’ve got the Holy Ghost, judges all things. "Yet, he himself is judged to no man. For who hath know the mind or Spirit? That he may have instruct him, yet, the mind of Christ." [1 Cor 2:14-15] Now, what am I doing? I’d be up preaching. You’re just sitting there listening to me. And something said in your heart, "Vayle’s wrong." You’ve got every right to say it. And I can’t look down and say, ‘Hey, what are you calling me wrong for, you? I'm right, you’re wrong.” Now another certain fellow went to a certain…she’s a Canadian by the way…she lives out west of here. She went east, here in the United States, to hear a man preach. As he is preaching, she said, “Hey, that doesn’t ring a bell, something’s wrong.” She went home. The preacher out there, his wife were on vacation The woman was sick in bed, very sick. He walked in her room, and he laid her cold. He said, “I saw that devil of unbelief on your face when I was preaching there in my church.” Then he told her she was sick, because she had the devil of unbelief, because not listening to him. 50. Let me tell you something brother/sister, that’s wrong. That’s no more God, than nothing. The Scripture says right here, that “Who hast known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him?” [1 Cor 2:16] It’s the Holy Spirit dealing with you, as I preach, whether it rings a bell, or not. And if it doesn’t ring a bell, I can’t say, “Yes, I am right, and you are wrong.” Because I’m not anybody to tell the Holy Ghost how to deal with you. That’s right, you bet it’s right. Oh, we’d better learn this, and get this Spirit of God of ‘come, pronto, fast'. Because where is it? You see? Now, then nobody can fly back at me and say, “You’re wrong.” See? This doesn’t get rid of the five-fold ministry. This puts the teaching power back in the hands of God, where it belongs. And It says as you sit there, you judge, you discern, but what’s in you? The Holy Ghost. Now, not by creeds and dogmas. Remember the first time I told you, Bro. Branham preached on…he brought out that fact, that the evidence of the Holy Ghost, is believing the Word for the hour. Suddenly, I said, “Amen, that’s It.” I was happy, that settled it. Before I got all messed up on tongues, and then I wondered if it was love, and wondered this and that. I was about going crazy. And out of the blue skies, I said, “That’s it!” Go down the road, a little while later, and say, “Hey, what did you say that for?” How come you said, “Amen,” to that? And you believe you're as solid as all get out. Caught it right now, enjoyed it. See? 51. Like a voice said, “Why don’t you search the Bible, it’s full of it?” I said, “I’ll do that.” The Bible’s full of it. Now someone said, “No, it's love.” I know a man years later, came by out of Johnny Lindsey's. He said, “Talking to a One-ness man,” he said, “The evidence of the Holy Ghost is love.” And Johnny said, “Sir, I beg to differ with you.” Bro. Branham said, "It was believing the Word for the hour." The same man came back and told Ray Beamon, he said, “Look”, he said, ‘Bro. Branham, never did change it, it’s love.” The trouble is,” he said, “The people couldn’t take it so, he gave them what they wanted.” Oh, God. The same guy said to me, “Bro. Vayle I always did believe was the Word of the hour.” But he said, “You’ve got to have your own evidence, and that’s love.” That guy's got three corners to his mouth, not just two. He spits seeds out of the middle. Like the guy, you know, watermelon, spit seeds out of both sides, and the middle…eh? Come out of his ears, maybe. What kind of nonsense is that? Listen, I’m telling you brother/sister, what's happened in my life. I’m not here to regale you, I’m here to tell you the truth…what's actually happened in this Message. The humbug, and the hogwash, going on. And for all I know, I’ve got a lot of it too. But I’m going to declare to you, and what the prophet said, "It’s ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, it’s God's irrevocable Word." And It’s the tie-post. And the best you and I could ever do at this moment, is to honour, respect each other. No matter what that person believes. 52. Last week I almost had my stomach turned. If I weren’t a stronger guy, I’d just really walk out of the ministry. I’d take...ain't nothing is going to bother me. Because I’ve been through things, where these guys ain't even dry behind the ears yet. I’ve been through them. I’m going to keep on plugging. And I’ll be like Bro. Branham said, “If there’s only the four pillars in the church, I’ll preach to the four pillars.” I'll actually won't I’ll likely stay home by that time. But you better believe, I’m not going to change my tune. It is the tie-post or the Cornerstone to bring us back to the Capstone. And how are we going to have the Capstone, if we don’t have this Spirit amongst us? See? Everybody trying to pull out rocks, and put their own in. Can’t they just let it be? And the funny thing is, those that scream the loudest, are saying the same exactly what the prophet said, “are the ones that twisted the most.” I still stand on what I believe to be the truth. That Bro. Branham categorically said, “Once you see this Message, that’s all you’ll see in the Word.” I want to be like the prophet, when the angel of God came in, seven of them came in, with seven messages. Every single time he’d be right to the Bible and with a concordance, yet. Didn’t say, “Now Lord, You were so good to tell, this lovely thing, and now I'll hold my hands here, and You’ll flip the Bible for me Lord.” And the pages now will come in. Whoop, (he said) I boo-booed didn’t I?" Because God, is not going to do it. The man took his concordance. He said, "A castle like this, and a castle like this." And he said, "Here's some more, and lo, here's some more. Oh, (he said) look it there, (he said) you couldn’t fail, it’s right in the Bible.” Of course if you and I did that, we’re supposed to become some kind of fools. Well Hallelujah, I’m a fool. Sorry about that. I’ve never tried to win a beauty contest, popularity contest. So, let’s face it, I’m not worried at all. Listen, ‘Thus Saith the Lord’ is the final Court of Appeal of perfection. You say, “Why do you call a final court?” Because it is in a court, where you resolve what is right. See? 53. Now, 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 (8) (Love) never (fails): but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; ...tongues, (they'll) cease; ...knowledge... (it'll) vanish … (9) ...we know in part, prophesy in part. (10) But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. Now, what’s in part? The knowledge is in part. But at the end-time, there’s got to come to the Spirit of wisdom, in the knowledge of Him. It's going to take us right into the Rapture. Where He becomes everything to the church, and we become that fulfilled Word. And that means under the Seventh Seal, we have to go plumb into New Jerusalem. Brother/sister, I can’t see anyway out. Thank God, I can’t. I don’t want to either. Now, (10) But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part (is) done away. And Bro. Branham said, “By the grace of God, we have the perfectly revealed Word of the hour.” (11) When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I (spake) as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (12) For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And It says right here then, according to the Word of God, at the end-time, there’s got to be such revelation by the Holy Spirit of God’s own Word, we will know Jesus Christ, and ourselves, perfectly, by that Word of God, revealed. That’s right. When the Bride comes there, she’s gone. We’re in that very hour right now. See? Here we are. 54. It is also, Ephesians 4:12-16, read It many times, some of my favorites. (12) For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, edifying of the body of Christ: When? (13) (Until) we all come in the unity of the faith, (even) of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, … Notice that, it’s the knowledge of the Son of God, through the unity of the faith. Brother/ sister, what could be stronger a vindicated Message? 'Thus saith the Lord'. What more do you want?” Rally to the tie-post. To the Cornerstone. Stay with It, never mind somebody else’s throat. Stay with the Word. Hang this stuff about, worrying about people and their throats, coming at them. That doesn’t do a thing for anybody. Try to prove a man wrong. So, we can get him in a corner. What if we proved everybody wrong, when we’re wrong ourselves? See? Come to that knowledge, then, to God. (13) … (the) perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: Oh, what that brings to you and me. The last one brought in. All the chosen, Elected ones, brought into a full stature. (14) … no more children, …(no more knowing in part. No more wondering. They’re solid in here. No tossing) to and fro, … Until man can’t swing you. Listen, we’re pretty green yet. Because men can swing about anybody. See? (15) But speaking the truth in love, grow up into him in all things, … 55. Notice, that ‘all things’ is always what I’m trying to tell you. It’s that whole Word of God, into physical manifestation, in a Bride. Where that Word becomes flesh, and flesh becomes Word, and Word becomes Word. Right back to God, where we came from. See? (16) From whom the whole body… Then someone says, “You’re not part of the body. Who’s to say, you’re not part of the body? Yeah, who’s to say? (16) …every joint (supplying), according to the effectual working in the measure every part,… And down here at the end the effectual measuring, the very Resurrection of Jesus Christ amongst us. When you get there, you’re finished. Listen brother/sister, if you and I make that Resurrection, there’s no turning around, "if 's, and's, or but's." Don’t you worry. I’m talking about the out-resurrection, the last half of the First Resurrection. See? Now, Hebrews 6:1 same thing. Leaving everything behind. There’s only one thing to worry about. Perfection. And at the end-time of perfection…what is it? The once for all enlightenment, accompanied by manifestation, signs and wonders on both sides. The good, and the bad habits. But, we know better. So, we stay with that Word. Because that Word is going to see us through. See? 56. Now, put It all together. Under 2 Peter 1:2-7 (2) Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, (even) our Lord, (Jesus Christ.) (3) According as his divine power hath given (to) us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: (4) Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these (you) might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. (5) And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; virtue knowledge; (6) ... knowledge temperance; temperance patience...patience godliness; (7) ...godliness brotherly kindness; brotherly kindness charity. (love) There you are. Coming right up, to the very top, through seven ages. An end-time Bride, with all these virtues abounding. So that she is not unfruitful, but the very Word of God, is taken through her. See? 57. Now, we’re coming to the Capstone, this is the Capstone. See? And as God’s Capstone, the pyramid, it brings us identifying ourselves, with 1 Corinthians 13: Which we were back in a minute ago. (10) …when that which is perfect is come… Now, verse 13. (13) ...now (abides) faith, hope, (love), these three; but the greatest of these is (love). Notice, faith is revelation. Hope is expectation, and love is realization. We’re right here brother/sister, under faith. The proven, manifested, faith of Almighty God. Now, under earnest expectation, we’re waiting for realization, and it’s coming at this very hour. See? That’s ‘Thus Saith the Lord’. How could it be otherwise? How could it be otherwise? There isn’t any other way you and I could get here. There has got to be some kind of vindication, indication, indicating, we have either arrived, or we are arriving, or that something we must yet to come, to cause us to arise. But we have arrived, to the place where we have the Word of God. See? As Bro. Branham said, “The Word for this hour.” And he also said, “The Bride has all she needs to put her in a Rapture.” Now, ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, what is ‘Thus Saith the Lord’? It is as Bro. Branham said in 'The Rapture [65-12-04] tape, "When you see God come from the Heaven, stand before groups of men, stand there, declare Himself just as ever He did." In other words, the way he always did it, which was by the Pillar of Fire in a man. Except the one time, when the Pillar of Fire, was no longer the Pillar of Fire. In other words, God’s Spirit didn’t have to put on a veil of fire, that someone could see It. God Himself, gets into Jesus Christ, the Son of man. 58. Now, God came down; God stood there; we saw Him; we partook of Him; ‘Thus Saith the Lord’ ends It all, and brings us to completion. And the final polishing of the program of Almighty God. Who can add or take away? For God has spoken, as It says in Amos, “Surely, the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” [Amos 3:7] Oh, how Bro. Branham fooled them. He mumbled something like…pardon me, I mean His servant. What He tells you here, His servants the prophets. But oh the people like that. “Oh, that’s nice, but he’s no prophet, you see, I’m just as good as he is.” And ‘Thus Saith the Lord’? Come on. Brother/sister, this is the end of things. This is the finality. You can’t add or take from It. You don’t dare fool with It. The thing to do, is accept It at face value, and don’t figure It. That’s what’s wrong. Bro. Branham warned there. But it’s this figuring. See? Don’t figure, don’t explain. The only time you and I can explain, is when it’s plumb right out in front of us, where Bro. Branham said, “Just preach that, and break It down to the people.” See? Now, here we’ll review the Scripture with the servant of God. The lion now we know that he’s got to roar…hasn’t he? Over there in Revelation 10: Hath roared by the prophet. Who will not then fear? That’s Deuteronomy 18:21. Fear, that man. The Lord God, …not the prophet, now…has spoken. Second Peter 1:21 (21) … holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Not the holy men speaking, but God. And when God has spoken, who can but prophesy? See? Now, what is it? It’s not God getting in that prophet, sounds like a machine, or record. It’s God talking in him. And Him bringing that Word right back, and not missing one iota, though it’s using a pidgin English, or Kentucky jargon. Or some kind of Chinese language, even. It wouldn’t matter. That man will never add a word, nor will he take one word. You know people get so mixed up. They think, “My goodness, if that was God speaking, Bro. Branham would say, “All men just right. ” You know, And never said, “We was.” He said, “We were.” And he said, you would never say, “Y’all.” He just said, “You all.” If he even said that. 59. Listen, it isn't the Holy Ghost put in a gramophone in that man's tongue…I’m not saying that couldn’t happen. But It was God speaking to that man, and that man speaking back to us, even in His own vernacular, but infallibly. See? Right! But it’s God’s Word in a man. As he explained, “He was the only one that could tell It, as It was.” Then he could turn around and put it in the same words…not the same words, but different words with the same meaning, many times over. Because It was always the same, It never changes. See? Now, the prophet said, in 'Trying to Do God a Service [65-11-27] we know that quote. Paraphrasing, “The Elijah of this hour, is not a man, It's the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. It comes by a prophet, It’s God.” Now, what is ‘Thus Saith the Lord’? It is reality, true reality, because you didn’t know what was real before. At least you know that this is real, what he preached. It is what God wanted across, whether you and I get It, or not. Whether we understand It, or not. Bro. Branham said this whole thing starts with ‘Thus the prophet, with Thus Saith the Lord’. If it starts with It, It ends with It. And I predict tonight, I’m predicting, I’m not prophesying, this is Lee Vayle. I believe, before the Rapture takes place, there’s going to be a Church that stands up and says, “Listen, I might not know what he said, but I believe what he said. I might not understand It, but I know he said the truth. And whether or not I understand what he said, I know this: That He understood what he said. And that’s what God wanted, and whether I know it or not, I know that's right, and I’ll stand there and die, for that.” Do you know why I believe that? Because the people are so mixed up, that’s why. Fifteen hundred guys with fifteen hundred opinions. No wonder Billy Paul said, “If I let preacher’s preach, I left fifty guys with fifty opinions.” 60. He wasn’t right in doing that. He’s not any boss, but he has the right idea. In this respect. There’s going to come a day, I believe pretty soon…we’ve just about come full circle. I don't say have. But myself, I’ve just about have gone full circle to say this one thing, Look, there’s just one thing I know, I’m sorry I can’t quote you, I can’t out quote you. I can’t match your quotes. I can’t do one thing. I can’t take them out, there’s one thing I know. I know that I don’t believe you, and I don’t believe me. But I believe him. I don’t even know what he said, but I know, he was that man. Just stand and say, “God, do the rest.” It may have to come that simple. But if you’re not satisfied let's face it, he said, “That washer woman with three tapes will make it, where the guy with the whole library won’t. So, you better all do like me. Start looking for an apron. A washtub and a scrub board, start taking washing. I’m serious, though I make a joke out of it. Because I’m not convinced, that the fellow can repeat this Message backwards, has the same idea the prophet had. 61. I challenged a man not long ago, that tried to take me to the cleaners. I said, “Brother, I want to ask you one question. Before the Church Age Book come out, would you have known that the Baptism with the Holy Ghost, and the rebirth, was one and the same thing according to what the prophet taught?” He said, “No.” I said, "That’s what I stand on right today." It took me four one half hours, of fussing, fuming, and dying, and killing myself inside. To wonder, my God, what is this man saying anyway? Now, I know you sit here, you know what I’m talking about. You haven't the least idea, because you weren’t through it. But for four and one half, hours not believing after hearing all his tapes, having talked other times, that he was saying in that hour, the Baptism with the Holy Ghost, and the rebirth, is one and the same thing. And I said, “You aren’t saying that.” He said, “But I am, now, you’ve got it.” I said, “Hold it right there.” Now, who’s going to come out? Who’s going to come along? See? I’ve got all the answers. Because I’m going to tell you flat, and I ain’t nobody. But let’s get this right down: If Lee Vayle, or someone like him, had not written that book, you’d be sitting here right tonight, I believe…ninety-nine percent still thinking, that they were two different things. 62. Kind of rough to think it is? But I don’t believe you'd have figured it. Not that you’re dumber than I am. You’re smarter…that’s the whole trouble. The smarter you are, the harder to see this. But be honest. See? I ain’t nobody, let's get that flat, no authority. But I know this one thing, that you can think you’re hearing exactly right, and you’re hearing according to your own teaching. That you received way back there. Do you know who I would follow if I wanted to follow somebody? I’d like to find some died-in-the-wool, old ‘harum-scarum’ no-good bird, that was baptized in the church, and that would never go back, come to this Message, receive the Holy Ghost, and just read what the prophet said. You know what? I believe he’d be right on. Because he has no background, and I had too much background. I learned years ago…and Bro. Branham taught me…it was a heavenly man, it was not yours and mine, it was fundamentally inclined, his wasn’t. And many times, he’d have to use a fundamental language, to get the people coming his way. When that theology came though, it ripped right across, they couldn’t see it. That’s why you’ve got people thinking he’s God on one hand, and another group who can’t see how he was God. 63. A brother told me sometime ago, heard me preach, he said, “Lee, I never understood what you said, until just this year.” And I’d been preaching, how God has been in the man for roughly ten years. Never changed. Now listen. None of us was anybody…not for one minute. But, I want to say this, it’s true reality. ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, is true reality. What is really, truly the Word of God, of this hour. What God wants; what God has done; what He’s going to do; what He expects; what He wants of me and you; the whole thing, it was laid out here, and vindicated to be the real Word of Almighty God. Not, what somebody hashed out of this. But what God Himself brought out. Therefore, let’s be very, very simple, in our attitudes in our minds. Listen: It’s water to the thirsty, it’s food to the hungry, it’s proof to the atheist…or the atheist, it’s sight to the blind, it’s clothes to the naked. It is all in all come down to bring to completion the purpose and plan of God. It is the Seven Seal that unseals what Daniel sealed up. And puts back in motion what God would have to destroy, were it not put back in proper keel, like this earth, is off a keel. But God sent a man to put the Word back on keel, so that His promises would come through. 64. Now, let me tell you something brother/sister, that’s the truth. And I know it is truth. Then, the Word that Bro. Branham taught, is a whole lot different from even what you and I believed. No matter how close we believed, or thought we believed with the prophet, before the Seals. That’s right. There’s not one of us, that didn’t need correction. Because the prophet himself, was corrected, like every prophet is. Joseph went through it. Jacob went through it. Abraham went through it. Isaac went through it. Every prophet, has always been corrected. Because there never was one perfect. Only One, Jesus Christ. All had to learn. God had to step in and say, “No, you’ve got that part wrong.” At the end-time, so you and I would not add or take a Word. God, sent a man down to say, “No.” I’m going to tell you now, you just believe what he said. Don’t try to figure it. He said, “The harder you try, the further you’ll miss it.” And he said, “The time you think you’ve got it, that’s the time you don’t.” There’s nobody got all the answers. Let me tell you something brother/sister, the higher any man gets up here, the harder you’re going to fall when you get shot down. Get down here. Get down by the altar…I think we need more altar calls…not for sinners to come in. But the high and mighty Bride to come in. She got a little bit too high. She got a little bit too far I believe, from seeing Him who was unveiled before us. 65. Now, I’m going to quit, but I could go on and on. Because it’s the full assurance of faith. It’s the Holy Ghost ...?... It's God come down to prove Himself. To show you the way to enter the marriage supper. All of these things we hear with ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, brother/sister, let me tell you flat: I don’t know. But with ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, is this life in here, come to life manifested, demonstrated, proving what lies just ahead of which we’re now in, to put us right over there, and right to New Jerusalem. Because if we believe the prophet of God vindicated, we’re going to prosper. We’re going to make it. But if we’re so busy proving, that we're that special, especially in the corner, and we got it, and we’re so clique and we’re so clanny. And that spirit of brother love, is not amongst us. Brother/sister, let me tell you, I'm going to say with Bro. Branham, “There’s still a Bride out there somewhere. And if we’re not that Bride, we’d better be careful, that we don’t get in her way.” We don’t stand in her way. But if there’s anything I’m calling tonight for, it’s humility. To get away from thinking high and lofty thoughts, to think we’re some mouthpiece for the prophet, or some special anointed person to explain what the prophet said. Although that’s an element in there. There’s no doubt about it. Let’s understand we are. We are witnesses, unto God’s truth at this hour. And there’ll be a hundred interpretations of it. But everyone of those hundred, could be seeing something real. That’s one thing I’ve learned. They could be seeing something real. Long before anybody understands how Bro. Branham was God to the people, a deity group rose up and said, “He is God.” They saw something. 66. On the day of judgement, it’d be more tolerable, if they’re judged on the day of judgement. Because they saw something, where millions saw nothing. And anyone who’s blind, …as those who were blind…their self conceit, did not blind them. They just got carried away. You say, “Bro. Vayle, could they be part of the Bride?” Who’s to say they’re not? Who’s to say, they couldn’t be? We’re not going to be like somebody preaching to had compassion, pluck him his branches for the burning. And meaning we’re going to have to be sorry for those guys who don’t believe like us. Now look. I’m not sorry for anybody that doesn’t believe like me. Why should I be? He could be right, I could be wrong. What if we’re both right? Both looking at two aspects. What if we're both saying the same thing in our own words? What if we can’t express ourselves, but that faith down there is real. The real thing. Who’s to say? But you see what “Thus Saith the Lord’, means to me? Brother/sister, I don’t want to take it away from anybody. But I wonder if people really see what ‘This Saith the Lord’, really is. I look at myself, and I say, “Do you really know?” And I say, “No, I don’t.” I’ve got so far, but I’m still a long way from It. Because if I really saw It, I’d have that same Spirit of sincerity, and sobriety, and humility, that’s on the prophet. Not perhaps, in the same quantity, but in the same quality, to a degree. See? ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, that man said one day, “If I tell you a lie, I’m a hypocrite.” Another pre-judge, he said, “I can, I'm a hypocrite.” And I said, “Hold it, do you know what you need to do?” He’s selling you a bill of goods. 67. Now, if he and I tell a lie, it can be an honest mistake. But Bro. Branham, if he told a lie, he is a hypocrite, because he can go to God and get an answer and then come back, and tell us the truth, or not. So, because a prophet said a thing, you and I don’t say it, and apply it to ourselves. If I tell you a lie, I’m either just a plain liar, I didn’t mean it. See? But only a prophet who can get to God, …knowing he can get there, …if an answer is available, get an answer and come on back. You say, “No, that’s different.” That man would be a hypocrite. See? So, ‘Thus Saith the Lord’ to me, brother/sister, is the foundation stone; that all these years, for whatever years I believed this Message, and whatever has led to It, I have never been able to get away from that ‘Thus Saith the Lord’. Just like, I could never get away from the night I was baptized with the Holy Ghost…real or unreal. I’m not going to say I’ve got reality. I believe I have. By God’s grace, I have. I wouldn’t want to say it wasn’t, if it was. And I can’t prove anything. But I had a tie-post, way, way back there. And that night I received , next morning the Bible was a new book. It came together the best It could, without a prophet. See? That’s part of the evidence. But when ‘Thus Saith the Lord’ came, I knew that when God answered back to a man, that had to be right, or forget it. Now, people say, “Look, if you don’t believe my way, you’re not dedicated. Oh, but I am. Oh, but I am. I don’t have to believe like you, but I’m dedicated. See? So, is everyone who had any honest intent, be he misguided, be he even deceived by the enemy. That man saw something there. See? Now, when are we going to then, give way to where you as my brother, I as your brother? Always. Look, I’m a part of It, we’re part of each other. See? 68. So, the Lord bless you. I trust I haven’t been too rough on you. I know you didn’t believe some of the things I said. Don’t worry. I wanted to see if I could get a rise out of you. That’s all right. But also, I’ve got something else in mind. How do I know that someone else might come around the corner sometime, and do what they try to do in a dream when they said, "Come around the corner, and you have what we have." "I said, "I ain't going around no corner, but I don’t want what you’ve got." See? But if you get fortified, and begin to see the strength of ‘Thus Saith the Lord’, what It really means, you’re going to calm right down in that spirit of yours. You’re going to have a brotherly, kindly outreach. Even if you talk to anybody, he won’t be upset with you. You can say, “Brother/sister, that’s real sweet, I appreciate it.” But if I don’t see it, I just don’t see it. That doesn’t make me right and you wrong, or visa versa, because all I’ve got in here is discerning and telling me, just leave that be. Now, if he’s told you to pick up, I can’t say, “Let go.” Because if something is talking to me, and here I believe it’s God, and something in you is talking in you, and you believe it’s God, who is going to settle? Who has God talking to him? See? That’s what It told you, in Corinthians here. You can't do it. How am I to tell God, “Look, You talk to that person, he’ll believe like me.” How is that person going to say, “Now God, You talk to Lee Vayle, he’ll believe like me?” We’re no here to instruct God. God instructs us. See? Who’s to say I’ve been taught of God? I’m going to tell you, who I believe it is. The man who gets his spirit down here, what i'm talking about what Bro. Branham told us. And I haven’t arrived there yet. I haven’t got there yet. But I’ve learned a lot in two years. Well, I’ve learned an awful lot less than I should’ve learned. But I’ve learned a lot more than I did have. Follow me? That, ‘Thus Saith the Lord’ no other voice, no other person, go back to the Message. The Lord bless you. Shall we rise. Our kind Heavenly Father, in this hour of our appreciation of You sending a messenger of this caliber, to prove that Thou art the God of the Bible, Who has talked to us, vindicating Yourself by indication, even as You did on Mount Carmel there, and Elijah said, “Let the God that answers by fire, be God.” And we know, Lord, tonight we stand in that very position. The Word has come to us, and there is no doubt. But, Father, I believe as in the days of Paul, when he said, “You knew all this.” And now here, after such a little while, I stand in doubt concerning You what has happened. Father, I know that it is quite possible, that You, Yourself, if You were here, or the prophet were here, could well say the same thing concerning us. Because we have in a way, removed ourselves from the simplicity, that lies in what has been demonstrated in this our day, the revealed Word of Almighty God. And You, Lord, manifesting Yourself amongst us. Heavenly Father, I would pray for all of us, because I suppose in some measure, we have all been very guilty. And I myself, perhaps, far more guilty, that most people. Taking such a strong stand that excludes others. Heavenly Father, humble me now tonight. Everyone in this building, Lord, with the Spirit of grace upon us, and humility. To no longer put anybody outside. But may our arms, Lord, like the prophet, draw a circle, to draw all men in. Help us oh God. Even those, Lord, that have become offensive in many ways. And You, Lord, I’ve talked about that tonight, Lord. Just almost angry, concerning the men that grab the ball from others. Running to other men’s works, as though it was theirs, as though they've got a special commission. Perhaps they have, Lord, and I'm not aware of it. But help me, Lord, to just simmer right down, and know these things have got to be. If You’re in them, Lord, to see all things are of God. Everything is of You, and with a pure heart, Lord, help me tonight, to just bear, and forbear, and to walk all the way. Men want to ride over my head, Lord. May they just do it, because we know that's part of the game of life, that You put us into, …if they wish to do these things, Lord, may we not retaliate. But may we. Lord, with real love and understanding, come now to this place, O God. Growing up in Thee speaking the truth in love. Not just speaking the truth, Lord, but in love, in Christ. Grant it, Lord, that we might be like that prophet, who came down at these end-time, with such a Spirit of God upon him. Such a Spirit of grace. Father, that’s what we’re looking forward to. And I believe, Lord, by Your Word, and by the fact that You deal with our spirits, the deep calling to a deep. This is what’s in the very near future. So, Father, we thank You. Help us now to just to stay with that tie-post, and use it as a tie-post, ankle deep each one of us. And with the same Spirit, help to anchor each other, until, Lord God, we must come back …the Bride must be one, because it is one, It will be one. Lord, if we don’t meet here, may we meet on the other side. I pray, Lord, keep the dear people here. Keep them, Lord, by Your Word, by Your Holy Spirit. Grant my God, boldness, yet humility the same time. In their lives, that they might pursue , Lord, the life the You set before them. Until they come up here, higher, it is time to release. Lord, we ask all these things, bless our families. Bring in our loved ones, we pray. So many outside the ark of safety. Some families so blessed, O God, not that we envy them. We rejoice with them, that many are in the fold already. But, Lord, where some of us are in the unfortunate position, to have none of them come in yet. Heavenly Father, I pray that they will come in. They will be a part, Lord, of the great body of Jesus Christ, the great truth. O my God, may those that we love, may not one of them ever blaspheme the Holy Ghost. So, there may be doubts, maybe a lack of knowledge. May there not be one Word, against that which has been vindicated. Give them strength, Lord, and grace and sense to keep the lips closed. The mouth sealed, the mind away from engaging in those things that they have no part in, as though they were judges. Lord God, I pray for them, as we pray for ourselves. So, Father here we are, go with us, be with us, guide us in all things. Until we come together as You said, “Kneel at Jesus feet, who was altogether lovely.” Now, unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be all power, and honour, and glory through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. The Lord bless you. Let’s sing we as always sing, and I would like to sing, as Bro. Branham always taught us, 'Take the Name of Jesus with You'. Because of what He is in that Name.   What Thus Saith the Lord Means to Me (0577) Page PAGE \* MERGEFORMAT 1